‘Kendall is new Master of QC2076’

    

It’s not every day a fellow KOTN alum is installed in the Solomonic Chair of the world’s first lodge of Masonic research, but that day has come. As this edition of The Magpie Mason goes to press, Quatuor Coronati Lodge 2076 is opening at Freemasons’ Hall in London to tackle an agenda that includes installing Adam G. Kendall as Worshipful Master and hearing his inaugural paper.

Adam G. Kendall

Among “education Masons,” Adam needs no introduction. Just off the top of my head: editor of Heredom and, before that, The Plumbline; a Blue Friar; president of the Philalethes Society; Fellow and Board Member of the Masonic Society; president of the MLMA; past master of Northern California Research Lodge; collections manager of the Henry Wilson Coil Library and Museum of Freemasonry; past master of Phoenix Lodge 144 in California; director of the Oakland Scottish Rite Historical Foundation; manager of the Scottish Rite Valley of Oakland’s library and archives; and, as mentioned, “a very brave and influential” Knight of the North.

And you thought you were busy.

I “met” Adam about twenty-five years ago in the Masonic Light Yahoo! Group (remember those?), as I had met Bro. Gerald, the lodge treasurer. Adam was elected to membership in QC Lodge in 2017, and elected to the Chair in September. Quatuor Coronati, unlike some research lodges I could mention, sees its newly installed Master present a paper for the program of that meeting. According to the lodge:

Thursday, November 12, 2026

Adam Kendall

The Knights Commanders of the Sun

and Nineteenth-Century

Anti-Catholic Fraternalism

Founded around 1875 by the prolific California Mason, Edwin Allen Sherman, the Knights Commanders of the Sun blended elements from the uniformed fraternities such as the Knights Templar and Knights of Pythias that were gaining in popularity throughout the post-Civil War United States. Using rare primary sources, Adam’s paper uncovers the little-known Order’s fraternal and Masonic influences, militant religious and political worldview, and its ritual that dramatized President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination.

Congratulations, Adam! To my mind, there’s nowhere else to go beyond this summit of the peak of the apogee of the top of the tip of the apex of Freemasonry, but I look forward to reporting your continued exploits.

Also on the agenda today will be balloting on a proposed member of the lodge. That’s exciting! I wonder who it is.

     

‘Rose Circle to present Spagyric Hours’

    

I ask you: Where better to calm down during the hectic Christmas Season than in the company of friends and fellow seekers for a few hours of casual discussion of Western esoteric traditions? The Rose Circle Foundation is back(!) with plans for a yuletide evening in New York City. From the publicity:

Rose Circle Foundation

Rosicrucianism, Alchemy, Tarot,

and Western Esotericism

Friday, December 18 at 6 p.m.

Register here to learn location

An evening for kindred souls drawn to Rosicrucianism, alchemy, and the wider Western esoteric tradition.

The Rose Circle began in the spring of 2006 at a gathering in Bayonne, New Jersey. It started as an afternoon of talks and became an evening of art, good food, and conversation in the spirit of the old Salons de la Rose-Croix. Over the next decade, it brought scholars, practitioners, artists, and seekers together in New York for lectures, conferences, and dinners. It all rested on one idea: that the adept and the academic have a great deal to learn from each other. 

We’re reviving that spirit with a relaxed social evening. Come meet others who share an interest in Rosicrucianism, the Great Work of alchemy, Hermeticism, Kabbalah, Gnosticism, Masonic symbolism, and the many related traditions. Whether you’ve been on the path for decades or are just starting to ask questions, you’ll find good company and conversation here.

No membership or affiliation with any order or lodge is required. Just bring your curiosity.

I just registered… only to have to unregister because I never consult my calendar, where I would have seen my firm plans for that weekend. But you should go!

Register here.

     

‘BBC: The Portland Stonemasons’

    

If you don’t check on BBC Archive occasionally, you are missing humanizing films that put before your eyes short slices-of-life from the past eight decades in the British Isles. Some are heartening, but some can be heartbreaking—especially Fyfe Robertson’s reports—but they show us how many modern changes came to be. And just because the content mostly is filmed in the United Kingdom does not at all mean the American viewer cannot recognize his own society.

As the Beeb puts it: “You have now entered the BBC Archive, a time machine that will transport you back to the golden age of TV to educate, entertain, and enlighten you with classic clips from the BBC vaults.”

The documentary, titled The Portland Stonemasons, from the series “Look Stranger: Heart of Stone,” linked above, was first broadcast October 13, 1971. It was added to the Archive for our pleasure two months ago. Description:

Cecil “Skylark” Duston is a stonemason who works the cream-white building stone from quarries which scar his home of Portland at the southernmost tip of Dorset. Years ago he helped to reface London’s Regent Street, more recently to create our new city centres. Skylark is a craftsman, his tools are basically the same as those used centuries ago by the men who first learned to fashion stone. He believes that there will always be a place for the mason in spite of new methods.

Enjoy. And visit the site! Use the search function.

     

‘Time to renew or join QCCC’

    

It is time to renew with (or join) QCCC for 2027. Quatuor Coronati Correspondence Circle is the corporate side of Quatuor Coronati Lodge 2076 in London. Membership in the lodge is limited to a small number of scholars who are elected, but guys like you and me may join QCCC, the principal benefit of which is possession of the treasury that is Ars Quatuor Coronatorum, the lodge’s annual book of transactions.

Looks like pricing options have expanded. Now there are six ways to read AQC in book form and/or digital format, with subscriptions ranging from $40 to $70.

QC2076 will meet one more time this year, for its installation of officers, Thursday at Great Queen Street. Bro. Adam Kendall will be seated in the Solomonic Chair and will present his inaugural paper.

Those of us, who only can hallucinate of such honored heights, may enjoy the book containing the work of those happy few scholars—which actually is a lot easier if you think about it.

QCCC says:

All members, individual and institutional, receive a copy of Ars Quatuor Coronatorum, the Transactions of Quatuor Coronati Lodge. The volume is produced toward the end of each calendar year and usually mailed in December or January to all members current as of the prior November 30.

AQC provides the full text of all papers delivered during the year, and the questions and answers that followed; the volume also contains book reviews, ‘notes and queries,’ and shorter articles of Masonic interest. If you are missing a recent edition of AQC, you can purchase a copy here.

Members receive priority booking and discounted entry to conferences and symposia arranged by Quatuor Coronati, and enjoy discounts on non-QC regalia and books from our partner suppliers. They have access to the Research Services offered by the Lodge, including assistance with research queries, a service provided by QC volunteers in conjunction with the staff of the Museum of Freemasonry at Great Queen Street in London. Members can also request copies of past papers from in-copyright volumes of AQC for personal research purposes. We ask for a small donation to cover scanning costs. 

Members who provide their email addresses receive regular reminders of our Lodge meetings and other events, and can download a soft copy of the Summons and copies or summaries of Delivery Papers. Those who are members of a lodge in a constitution recognised by the United Grand Lodge of England are entitled and welcome to attend QC Lodge meetings and warmly encouraged to stay for drinks or dinner, which provides an opportunity to meet the speaker and members in a relaxed setting.

In other words, this is the time to join or renew. Click here.

      

‘In Virginia, the G stands for Gino’

     

Grand Lodge of Virginia

MW Gino Warren Williams is the 181st Grand Master
of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, AF&AM.

Just kidding. The G does not stand for Gino, but we stand today and accord Grand Honors to MW Gino Warren Williams, the 181st Grand Master of Masons in Virginia! He was installed this afternoon at the 248th Grand Annual Communication in Richmond.

According to his bio on the Grand Lodge website, Brother Williams “was Raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason on September 30, 1997 in Floyd Lodge 329, where he served as Worshipful Master in 2001, 2006, and 2013; and as Secretary since 2013. He was District Deputy Grand Master of Masonic District 43 in 2002. He was Administrative Assistant to the Grand Master in 2016 and is a committeeman on the Committee on Appeals and Committee on Jurisprudence. He has been a member of the Board of Governors of MAHOVA—Your Masonic Community since 2017, where he currently serves as Treasurer. Brother Williams was elected to the Office of Grand Junior Deacon in November 2021.”

The theme for his tenure in office is “Freemasonry: The Pursuit of Happiness.”

As we draw nearer the Grand Lodge’s 250th anniversary in 2028, great leadership will be more conspicuous than usual, and I wish our Grand Master all the best for an eventful and enjoyable year.

(I haven’t heard an announcement of the new DDGM for the Research Lodge District, but I’ll update this when I can.)

In other news, I see RW Bro. Chaplin is sharing the announcement of RW Bro. Sheldon B. Richman, of both Shakespeare 750 (Master four times between 1988 and 2005) and Kosciuszko 1085—both in the First Manhattan District—being appointed Grand Senior Steward in Virginia yesterday. Huzzah! Apparently he resides in the Commonwealth, and he’s been on the GLNY’s GWMNM Committee for some time. Small world.

Grand Master, if you’re free Saturday, January 16, Civil War Lodge of Research will conduct its installation of officers at MAHOVA.

     

‘A Light on the Lakes chronicles Michigan Masonry’

    

Did you know there is a PBS documentary on the two centuries of the Grand Lodge of Michigan? That it’s been online for months? A Light on the Lakes: The Michigan Masonic Journey, produced by WKAR and written and directed by Benjamin Tigner, runs 82 minutes.

Find it here at PBS or simply click below.

Local screenings are being hosted around the state, which has to be the most fun way to enjoy the show.

Look for MLMA President Dirk Hughes in numerous talking head segments!

     

‘About Last Night: The RAM° at Chapter No. 3’

    

Officers and new Royal Arch Masons yesternight.

Scratch another one off the bucket list!

Enjoyed a great time with Chapter No. 3 of Royal Arch Masons in Philadelphia yesternight to witness the RAM° à la the Grand Chapter of Pennsylvania. After twenty-seven years in Capitular Masonry, I really ought to have witnessed this ritual already, but somehow never got to it, and resolved during the summer to correct that. Months ago, I contacted M.E. Eric C. Stahley, Grand H.P. of the Grand Chapter to ask if he knew of any upcoming RAM degrees in the eastern part of the Keystone State; he enlisted the help of R.E. Tony Dintino, DDGHP of the First Capitular; he put me in contact with both MEGHP Amit Vyas and Secretary Brendan Shaw of Chapter No. 3; and they explained how to score free parking in the Masonic Temple’s neighborhood on the night of November 4, when the degree was scheduled. (For a New York City Freemason, that is the epitome of the Red Carpet Treatment! Or scarlet, as the case may be.) My deep thanks to all.

The point was to experience something new and maybe discern whatever aspects would make the ritual different from what I’ve always known at Scott Chapter 4. (In York bodies, I’m still affiliated in New Jersey.) I likely missed a lot of those variations, because I’m no ritual expert and, honestly, it’s been a long while since I’ve seen a Royal Arch Degree. But, I know both Chapter No. 3 (1758 or ’67) and the Grand Chapter of Pennsylvania (1795) were founded before the General Grand Chapter (1797) and remain independent from it, which could indicate variations between No. 3’s rituals and those I know. And so there were.

A view of the stained glass in the South.

One huge distinction between the two systems is the VPM°. It’s no secret how Pennsylvania does without it, and I’ve long thought it is an extraneous step along the path that ought to be retired. Even the Chapter Opening differs. For example, when we grouped into threes to form the arch, the physical aspects were consistent, but some of the spoken words (not The Word) were not the same, so I was a little tongue tied at that moment. I was impressed to see thirty of us present, which made for even grouping into trios.

In the English system, Royal Arch aprons show a pattern of blue and red, symbolizing the continuity of lodge and chapter.

The officers did not speak their duties. In regalia, I was pleased to see the companions clothed in the English style. No. 3 does descend from the Ancients, not General Grand, after all.

‘It’s a beautiful room, but the acoustics are horrible,’ said one ritualist. He has a point! Voices seem to rise to the 52-foot ceiling. Unless a speaker faces you, it is hard to hear him.

They have veils, not banners, which is fair considering they meet in Renaissance Hall, the Masonic Temple’s Royal Arch room. The upholstery of the Grand Masters’ chairs are color coordinated with those veils but, again, Renaissance Hall.

Joshua has loomed above the East since 1906. 

The MEGHP in the East has the M.E. in his title, whereas New Jersey did away with that in recent years due to the bureaucratic mentality that shapes decisions there.

After the new Royal Arch Masons are instructed in the East, they are put through ritual movements I don’t think I’ve seen before. I’ll liken them to calisthenics. Not physically taxing, and I was too far away to hear what was said during, but it looked interesting. (Inadvertently reminds of the talk I used to give on mindfulness techniques for the lodge—even presented it inside Norman Hall in 2015.)

In the West. A painting of The Evangelist is above. December 27 is the red-letter date of Pennsylvania Royal Arch Masonry.

Some of the officer stations are different; three are seated in the West, which I think is consistent with Craft lodges there.

One illicit thing I was sorry to see, but it’s ubiquitous: Masons under age forty who cannot put away their phones. Placed in a triangular form about me were youngish Royal Arch companions who were texting or whatever the whole night. Again, it’s nothing new or unique to any single place, but I wonder why attend if you know you’ll use the phone to mentally exit the room? I’m there, feeling like I am witnessing history: visiting a chapter older than our country; sitting in Renaissance Hall, where the Grand Chapter has been meeting for a century and a half, and where countless MEMs have been exalted; and witnessing the RAM°—but I digress.

The Seal of Solomon in the crown of the ceiling.

Before the degree, the elected officer positions for the ensuing year were sorted out; the junior Past HP received his PHP apron; and a certificate for achievement in education was presented.

Outside Renaissance Hall.

I arrived too late to join for dinner—had to finagle some time off from work to get there at all. Anyway, here is a little early history of Chapter No. 3 excerpted from the Grand Chapter’s 1870 book of proceedings:

The destruction of the Masonic Hall, by fire, in the year 1819, caused great loss to the Masons of Pennsylvania, in the burning of nearly all their old records. From the minutes of the Royal Arch Lodge, No. 3, and the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, we have gleaned the following up to December 1812, from which time the records of the Grand Chapter are perfect. It is with great pleasure that we are able to present records which prove beyond question that Chapter No. 3, (now Jerusalem Chapter, No. 3,) of Philadelphia, is the oldest Royal Arch Chapter in the United States, and that the Grand Holy Royal Arch Chapter of Pennsylvania was the first Grand Chapter organized in this country.

   

The earliest records of Royal Arch Lodge, No. 3, now in the possession of Lodge No. 3, dated December 3, 1767, read, “that the minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved;” thus showing that there was an older book of minutes which had been mislaid or destroyed. The minutes of Lodge No. 3 are perfect and complete from December 3, 1767, to the present date. The Ahiman Rezon, edition of 1825, page 79, says: “The first Royal Arch Chapter [in] America of which we possess a particular account is that held in Pennsylvania, anterior to the year 1758. This Chapter, working under the warrant of No. 3, was recognized by and had communion with a Military Chapter, working under a warrant 351, granted by the Grand Lodge of England; and its proceedings were subsequently approved by that honorable body, as appears from a communication from its Deputy Grand Master Dermott.”

   

The records of the Grand Lodge show that, on November 23, 1795, the Grand Chapter was opened under the immediate sanction of the Grand Lodge. The Grand Chapter met under the above sanction until January 5, 1824, at which time it became independent.

View of the Masonic Temple from the top
of the parking deck.

I don’t know when, but Jerusalem Chapter 3 dropped its proper noun name and reverted to its numeric name.

Here’s a 47-second video depicting Renaissance Hall:

     

‘The American’s Creed’

    

In the July 1929 New York Masonic Outlook.

I won’t comment on yesterday’s elections here in the United States, except to observe how the clientele of the Mos Eisley Cantina increasingly find their way into public office. Today, one may seek comfort in the past, at least as regards an appreciation of citizenship and self governance.

Front cover.

The July 1929 issue of The New York Masonic Outlook offers soothing words to help forget—even for one precious minute—what happened Tuesday. The magazine was edited by the great H.L. Haywood, the Masonic author who affiliated with my lodge, Publicity 1000, upon arriving in New York City from Iowa.

He tells of another Publicity brother, Henry Sterling Chapin, who penned the article in that issue headlined “The American’s Creed: A Thought for the Observance of Independence Day.” More than a decade prior, Chapin conceived a nationwide contest to solicit from the public “the best summary of the political faith of America.” It’s almost too wholesome to mention during these decadent days, but the contest winner turned out to be William Tyler Page, a future Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives who descended from both President John Tyler and Declaration signatory Carter Braxton.

American’s Creed

 

I believe in the United States

of America as

A government of the people,

By the people, for the people; 

Whose just powers are derived

From the consent of the governed;

A democracy in a republic;

A sovereign Nation of many States;

A perfect Union, one and inseparable;

Established upon these principles

Of Freedom, Equality,

Justice, and Humanity,

For which American patriots sacrificed

their lives and fortunes.

I therefore believe it is my duty

 To my Country to love it;

 To support its Constitution;

 To obey its laws;

 To respect its Flag;

 And to defend it against all enemies.

Click to enlarge.

I can’t say if Page was a Freemason. He was from Friendship Heights, Maryland, if anyone knows. There was prize money, $1,000, which the champion immediately invested in Liberty Bonds, Bro. Chapin says.

Chapin was New York State’s Commissioner of Education. In launching this contest, he enlisted helpers including U.S. Commissioner of Education Philander Clayton, various governors and senators, Baltimore Mayor James Preston, historian Matthew Page Andrews, and Educational Foundations Editor Dr. William Charles O’Donnell, among others.

More than 3,000 responded. Their submissions were culled to a pile of about fifty finalists. Nine judges studied those, and were unanimous on the winner. “Something of awe in that moment will stay with me all my life,” Chapin says in his Outlook article. “Perhaps that is why I am convinced that the American’s Creed will live and do good of vital value to the world.”

The federal government never adopted the creed to make it official. If you read it in the well of the House today, they’d laugh in your face.

     

‘St. Albans lodges headed to Louisiana’

    

Charlie Scheu

Last weekend, the International Gathering of Lodges Named for St. Alban held its 73rd meeting, this time at St. Albans 38 in Connecticut. Somehow, I missed the chance to advertise that in advance, but next year, the group will meet in Louisiana at St. Albans Lodge 28 in Jackson, which is a great way for this lodge to celebrate its bicentennial year.

Register here and be there June 11-13.

From the publicity:

2027 International Gathering

of Masonic Lodges

Named for St. Alban

200 Years of Brotherhood

in the Felicianas

St. Albans Lodge 28, F&AM, will host the 2027 Gathering, a weekend of fellowship, Masonic history, Louisiana hospitality, and celebration for brethren of St. Alban lodges throughout the United States and around the world, together with their families.

The Gathering falls in the bicentennial year of our Louisiana charter, granted January 6, 1827. St. Albans Lodge 28 is working with the International Committee to plan the Gathering. Guests will also meet the wider St. Albans Masonic family, including St. Albans Chapter 80, Order of the Eastern Star, chartered May 18, 1911, whose members will help welcome our visitors and host the companion program.

The Weekend in Outline

The full program is being prepared and will be sent to every registered guest and posted here when complete.

Friday, June 11

Arrival & Louisiana Welcome

 

Arrival and registration, followed by a Louisiana welcome reception.

Saturday, June 12

Freemasonry in the Felicianas

 

The Day the War Stopped in historic St. Francisville, hosted by our sister lodge, Feliciana Lodge 31, with Masonic historical observances, fellowship and the annual jambalaya cook-off; a presentation on two centuries of St. Albans 28; a companion program; and the St. Albans 28 Bicentennial Dinner.

Sunday, June 13

Fellowship & Farewell

 

An optional farewell breakfast or brunch and local activity, followed by departures.

Click here for a history of the lodge’s early years researched for its centennial celebration in 1926. There’s a lot more color to their story, however, including alleged defection from the Grand Lodge. From James B. Scot’s book Outline of the Rise and Progress of Freemasonry in Louisiana, printed 1873:

St. Albans Lodge No. 28, at Jackson, near the borders of Mississippi, had been reported dormant for over twelve years. An investigation showed that it had been at work clandestinely during the greater portion of the time, but in accordance with the liberal policy always extended to the country lodges, on the 19th of April, 1845, the Grand Lodge remitted its dues from 1833 to 1844, and legalized its work. On the 9th of July following, St. Albans Lodge issued a circular to all the York Rite lodges in the State, requesting them to meet in convention for the purpose of forming “an American Grand Lodge of the State of Louisiana.” Only one lodge, St. James No. 47, at Baton Rouge, adopted resolutions favoring the project, and it was abandoned. One of the circulars was sent to Perfect Union Lodge No. 1, and, by it, handed to the Grand Master. A committee appointed for the purpose visited the two lodges and reported, (October 13) that the proof was so strong against St. Albans Lodge they had suspended its work and arrested the charter. St. James No. 47 was a young lodge, and it was pleaded in excuse that its members were inexperienced and had been led astray by the circular of George W. Catlett, W.M. of St. Albans Lodge; that the S.W. presided, and only a few members were present at the meeting at which the resolution was adopted, and that the action was deeply regretted as St. James Lodge had no desire to withdraw its allegiance from the Grand Lodge. The excuse was accepted. The representative of St. Albans Lodge stated in extenuation that the circular had been issued at the instigation of visitors from other jurisdictions, a number of whom had frequently visited the lodge and exercised an improper influence over the members, who now implored the clemency of the Grand Lodge. Under these circumstances the charter was suspended for one year, but, on the 27th November following, the sentence was remitted and the lodge restored to all its rights and privileges.

And, several years later:

On Nov. 25, 1848, St. Albans Lodge No. 28 reported that it had suspended five of its members for uniting with “two strangers” for the purpose of organizing an irregular lodge; this action was approved by the Grand Lodge…

It was a wild time for Louisiana Freemasonry. Between the French chartering lodges there, and the estrangement between Francophone and English-speaking lodges and their rituals, and the Mississippi brethren encouraging the schismatic Louisiana Grand Lodge of Ancient York Masons, it was a mess. But it was resolved in 1850, and the Grand Lodge of the State of Louisiana remains a beloved member of the Masonic family.

St. Albans Lodge 28

Renovations to the building are underway.

Currently, the lodge’s building, on the National Register of Historic Places, is under renovation. It was constructed circa 1849, so is the Masonic hall that somehow survived the fire of 1876 that devastated the town. On social media, the brethren are sharing “before and after” photos of old flooring having been removed to restore original hardwood. Looks great!

     

‘The Magic Flute returns to The Met’

    

The Met

Speaking of Mozart (see post below), The Magic Flute, his Masonic opera, will return to The Met for its annual run soon. I promote this production every season both here on The Magpie and in my travels, but I never hear of Masons or lodges attending the show. As far as I can tell, the ticket price here is the only cost in New York City that hasn’t budged in years (actually reduced from 2025!), but I digress. From the publicity:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s

The Magic Flute

The Metropolitan Opera

December 11-January 2

Tickets (from $33!) here

The Met’s family-friendly production of Mozart’s dazzling fairy tale returns, sung in English and running ninety minutes. Nicholas Carter and Patrick Furrer share conducting duties, leading a standout cast in Julie Taymor’s magical staging. Tenors Piotr Buszewski and David Portillo share the role of Tamino, the brave prince on a quest to win the clever princess Pamina, sung by sopranos Emily Pogorelc, Kathryn Lewek, and Emma Marhefka. The cast also features tenors Rolando Villazón and Gordon Bintner alternating as the luckless bird catcher Papageno. Sopranos Jeni Houser, Lewek, and Olga Pudova take turns as the Queen of the Night. Basses Morris Robinson and In Sung Sim portray Sarastro.

At every performance of The Magic Flute, audiences can enjoy free activity books and themed photo opportunities throughout the lobby. Special downloadable activities are also available online to explore before or after your visit. Complimentary face painting will be available before all matinee performances. Holiday Open Houses will take place prior to the performances on December 13 and 19. Please note: The December 26 matinee is a relaxed performance. Learn more about what to expect in the Met’s relaxed performances.

The Met

World Premiere: Freihaus-Theater auf der Wieden, Vienna, 1791. A sublime fairy tale that moves freely between earthy comedy and noble mysticism, The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte in the original German) was written for a theater located just outside Vienna with the clear intention of appealing to audiences from all walks of life. The story is told in a singspiel (“song-play”) format characterized by separate musical numbers connected by dialogue and stage activity, an excellent structure for navigating the diverse moods, ranging from solemn to lighthearted, of the story and score.

The Met

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91) was the son of a Salzburg court musician who exhibited him as a musical prodigy throughout Europe. His achievements in opera, in terms of beauty, vocal challenge, and dramatic insight, remain unsurpassed. He died three months after the premiere of Die Zauberflöte, his last produced work for the stage. The remarkable Emanuel Schikaneder (1751-1812) was an actor, singer, theater manager, and friend of Mozart who wrote the opera’s libretto, staged the work, and sang the role of Papageno in the initial run.

The libretto specifies Egypt as the location of the action. That country was traditionally regarded as the legendary birthplace of the Masonic fraternity, whose symbols and rituals populate this opera. Some productions include Egyptian motifs as an exotic nod to this idea, but most opt for a more generalized mythic ambience to convey the otherworldliness that the score and overall tone of the work call for.

The Met

Mozart and his librettist, Emanuel Schikaneder, created The Magic Flute with an eye toward a popular audience, but the varied tone of the work requires singers who can specialize in several different musical genres. The baritone Papageno represents the comic and earthy, the tenor Tamino and the soprano Pamina display true love in its noblest forms, the bass Sarastro expresses the solemn and the transcendental, and the Queen of the Night provides explosive vocal fireworks.

     

‘Mozart at Mount Moriah’

    

Mt. Moriah Lodge 20, here in the city (not to be confused with Mt. Moriah 145 upstate), has a music education program planned for next week, the first in a series of events. From the publicity:

Join us as Mount Moriah Lodge 20 begins its first presentation in its Pioneering in Masonry series.

This discussion is titled “Mozart and the Craft: A Journey from Darkness to Light.” Lodge Chaplain Gary Leavitt will present and moderate.

We hope you’ll join us. Master Masons only. Future offerings will be curated for all Masons. RSVP here.

     

‘Franklin’s Fingerprints in Philly’

    

GL of Pennsylvania

On the first three Thursdays of November, the Masonic Library and Museum of Pennsylvania, at the Masonic Temple in Philadelphia, will conduct “Franklin’s Fingerprints” tours, celebrating the colossus of U.S. history and a very prominent Freemason. From the publicity:

Be part of our first “Franklin’s Fingerprints” tour on Thursday, November 5, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. If you’re interested in all things Benjamin Franklin, don’t miss this in-depth, after-hours tour experience. It also will be offered Thursday the 12th and 19th.

Attendance each time is capped at twenty-five, and tickets, at $25, can be had here.

Python (Monty) Ltd.

Good to see the Grand Lodge that boycotted Franklin’s funeral in 1790 is finally coming around.

     

     

‘Robert H. Jackson birthday’

Robert H. Jackson receives the jewel of the 33°, 1941.

    

Happy anniversary to Justice Robert H. Jackson Lodge of Study and Research, set to labor on this date thirty years ago.

There are four research lodges here in New York State, two of which are active year round, but two that are kind of mysterious. The ALR and Western New York Lodge of Research are the busy ones, but Justice Jackson is one of the others. Its meeting place is Mount Moriah Lodge 145 way up in Jamestown.

In his book Masonic Research Lodges, Bodies, and Societies, Ken Stuczynski writes: “The lodge has between 50 and 60 members, with annual dues of $15. There are no corresponding or honorary members.”

The lodge meets “a few times a year,” including its annual meeting on the second Friday in May, and a festive board every year for George Washington’s birthday, he adds.

Robert Houghwout Jackson (1892-1954) was an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court when he died at age 62, having advanced  through prominent federal positions during the administrations of President Franklin Roosevelt, including stints as Solicitor General followed by Attorney General of the United States. After the Second World War, President Harry Truman sent him to Nuremberg to serve as Chief U.S. Prosecutor at the International Military Tribunal.

In Freemasonry, he was at labor in Mt. Moriah 145, having been raised in 1929. Scottish Rite in New York sparingly awards its Illustrious Robert H. Jackson, 33° Award for Community Service, an honor it devised in 2004.

There is a lot more to his life story. He certainly is one of those figures in Masonic history who illustrates how little you’ve accomplished in life. I wish his namesake research lodge was more functional.

     

‘A quick meeting to look back a long way’

     

Don’t park on 24th Street tonight,
if you do that kind of thing.

The American Lodge of Research enjoyed a brief, but memorable, meeting last night at Masonic Hall. Having filled in for the Brother Secretary, I had reason to watch the clock, and we were open for only about an hour and fifteen minutes! Surely some kind of record.

The certificate in question.

Nevertheless, we were treated to an insightful presentation by Bro. Conor, a Fellow of the lodge, on the subject of the traveling certificate carried 270 years ago by a Bro. James Harding. Biography of Harding is scant, but researching the names of the lodge officers who signed the document reveals telling historical and demographical information about Freemasonry in British North America in the mid eighteenth century. Look for more information in the pages of The ALR Today, the lodge’s newsletter.

Of all the secrets in Freemasonry, the most vexing has to be how to grow participation at research lodges. After we closed, some of us groused about promotional techniques to advertise our meetings. Others were present in addition to who you see here, but we’re no longer drawing the 20-30 we once did.

While our next Stated Communication is far off—March 30, 2027—we are told to anticipate Zoom sessions in the meantime (which hopefully will attract our many overseas brethren). And maybe we’ll meet in person for a Special Communication one night also.